Fallen and Forlorn
by Sparrow and Destiny
Summary: (OFFICIALLY BEING REWRITTEN) Soundwave has been stuck in the shadowzone for longer than he dares count and the solitary confinement has been brutal, especially when he could see and hear the cybertronians that walked past him and feel the ones who walked through him; all he wanted was to be heard, felt and seen again... (OFFICIALLY BEING REWRITTEN)
1. Desolation

**_WARNING: SPOILERS!_**

**_Please take note that extended time in solitary confinement can cause serious mental issues, in this story Soundwave will most likely suffer from:_**  
_Persistent and heightened state of anxiety, nervousness, insomnia, lethargy, nightmares, heart palpitations, confusion, social withdrawal, violent fantasies and deterioration._

_This fic will be dark so only read it if you are okay with it._

* * *

It was desolation.

It was the same dreary, maddening scene that glared mockingly down at Soundwave. A dark atmosphere would have been all right for Soundwave, but not when it was his home, his work place and his master's flying kingdom.

For too long he had been stuck in this place and the darkness all around him was beginning to take its toll. Even the darkness buried within his conscious was tearing at Soundwave's soul, bringing back awful memories of when he was a pit fighter and slave. Though when that darkness had engulfed him then, Megatron, or Megatronous, had pulled him out of it and given him a hope Soundwave thought nothing could vanquish.

But Megatron wasn't here anymore. Soundwave wasn't fully here either, the brightness of his life had moved on without him, leaving his body to stay and rot in this hell the human youngling had called '_Shadowzone, dude._'

_'Human femme,'_ Soundwave thought wearily, his optics onlining, or where they already online? _'Miko'_ he corrected himself, claws lightly scraping against the ground in which he was lead on. All bitterness of the human children had fled long ago, now all it brought was sadness, fear and the dreaded hopelessness that the dark purple mech radiated.

At first he had been fuming with the children, with the Autobots and everyone. Soundwave had yelled and screamed, cursed and prayed. His episode had lasted for hours and he only managed to sit and reclaim his eerie calm when Laserbeak sent him a fearful ping, requesting that he stop yelling. No. Laserbeak hadn't requested him to do anything she had _begged_ him.

He thought it was clear then that all he had to do to escape was activate a ground bridge and escape, but it didn't work. All it did was let Soundwave fall through it like he did to all whom walked through him, it was the same for a space bridge but the toll on his systems left him exhausted and shaking. Even walking through the fragging door had been useless; he had literally ended up back at the front of the room every single time.

Soundwave gently stroked his symboit's helm with his claws, humming a sparkling song calmly to her as she was roused by the memories that continuously haunted Soundwave's overworked processor. He tried so hard to recharge, for his sake and for Laserbeak's; but when the Communications Chief felt the presence of recharge it was chased away by some demon of Soundwave's soul.

The TIC, if that rank was still his to claim, curled in on himself and Laserbeak, wrapping his arms around the symboit as the spymaster quietly cried to himself. All he wanted was to feel again, to talk to someone...

To be free...

* * *

_If you are wondering why the ground/space bridge didn't work it is because he didn't know it had to be in the exact same place as one of the bridges that sen him there. But even if he did figure it out he doesn't have the energy._

_If you wish this to be the end of the story then okay, but I will be writing more shortly. (;_


	2. The Plan

_Chapter two, this has no Soundwave action in or anything dark; but there will be in the chapters to come. (:_

* * *

Ratchet flicked through a report sent to him from Bumblebee, his faceplates angled in a deep-in-thought frown. It was a report that was showing all of the Decepticon's present on Cybertron, the ones that had been spotted (and confirmed) on Earth and the ones unaccounted for.

Jack and Miko were sat a few feet from Ratchet on a heightened platform too thoroughly engulfed in their video game to see Ratchet's discomfort. But Raf did.

Ever since Megatron's death and the revival of Cybertron, the human children had kept Ratchet updated about their lives and regularly visited him to stay at the new Autobot base. It had been one and a half years since their Autobot guardians had returned home and they were all still recovering from loosing such great friends and protectors.

"Ratchet? What's wrong?" Raf asked shyly, moving as close to the edge of the railing as he could in an attempt to see what Ratchet was reading. But all he could see was a very faint outline of, what looked like, decepticons.

"Hmm- Wait, what?" he said, looking at Raf with a startled expression. Then what the boy had said sunk in, "Oh right nothing, it's just- Bumblebee has sent me something and it seems to be missing some... faces." his optics hovered on the screen again, before returning to Raf.

"Like who?" Raf asked, leaning against the railing; allowing him to see more of the screen Ratchet was seemingly glaring at. On the screen there was an image of all the decepticons ever seen on Earth and a few more, obviously ones found on Cybertron or in space, then besides them in big, red writing was either '_Deceased_', '_MIA_', '_Seen_' or '_Unknown_'.

Soundwave being the only labeled with '_unknow_n'.

Ratchet noticed Raf's eyes widen in shock and he walked closer to the young boy, "Is there something you know about Soundwave's whereabouts?" Ratchet asked, lowering his helm so he could look Raf directly into the eyes.

"I- um-we-" Raf stammered backing away from Ratchet.

Ratchet feared that if the TIC had somehow escaped into space he would have the power and knowledge to bring back the Decepticons and fight against the Autobots once more. The loss would probably be a lot more severe than it was before and Ratchet feared the safety of his comrades on Cybertron and in space...

"Soundwave is in the Shadowzone, dude." Miko said rather coolly, leaning back in the chair as she looked over at Ratchet dumbfounded expression. "What? I thought you knew-"

"What! Since when?" Ratchet asked frantically, optics wide with shock and horror. Being in the Shadowzone for a long time was very dangerous and, even though Soundwave was one hell of a hated Decepticon, Ratchet feared for the mech.

The medic backed away from the humans and took a deep vent, trying to contain his anger and sock before eh scared his only companions. The three looked shaken by Ratchet's raised tone and it was Jack who recovered first. "I thought you all knew he was there... Why are you so upset? We solved a problem and he can't hurt anyone-"

"Have you even considered the physiological damage that can inflict? Soundwave will be lucky if he still has sane based functions!" then the medic paced rather furiously up and down the room, lightly rubbing his nasal bridge; a habit he got from the humans.

The children looked at one another guiltily, "What are you going to do?" asked Miko, walking over to Raf and draping an arm over his shoulder. Miko knew if Soundwave was harmed Raf would take the blame for himself because he had opened the space bridge and trapped the mech, but then again Jack had been a part of it too... All Miko did was attempt to tackle him, all in all she feared he would never forgive himself if Soundwave was harmed.

Ratchet finally broke his pacing and looked at the children, shocking them with his next words; "I am going to get him back."

* * *

_Dun dun duuun. TBC..._


	3. Madness

_It was a blockade of bodies; armored bodies that were closing in for the kill, each were armed with either a plasma saber or some other kind of jagged weapon._

_He knew they were coming for him... To finish him... and he welcomed it._

_Odd really, Soundwave had never been one to stop fighting in the Pits willingly; but he was so tired and his limbs so heavy. Dark purple optics could hardly stay online for mere minutes, all he had to do was reach that sword and stand, but he was so tired..._

_Wobbly legs swayed as Soundwave stood, sword in hand, his processor was no help either; he was lightheaded and felt starved. But his slave master had refueled him this morning, hadn't he? Surely there was some kind of-_

_Agony tore through Soundwave's side and the mech fell backwards, whimpering as he clutched his side. Molten hot energon seeped through his needle like fingers and onto the ground, Soundwave could feel it draining from him, but when he went to see if their was any on his digits a voice caused him to freeze in place._

_"You're a failure," a doubled eerie voice Soundwave knew so well slammed into Soundwave like a tidal wave._

_"L-lord Megat-tron?" Soundwave asked weakly, using his own voice in what felt like forever. It was sonorous and said that it was once full of life and pride' but now it was crackling, weak and strained._

_The silhouette showed his toothy grin, red optics hardly illuminating Megatron's faceplates. "I always did see you as nothing more than a weakling," he hissed; suddenly vanishing from in front of Soundwave to behind him, purple star saber blazing in his servo._

_Soundwave pushed himself to his pedes, only to be knocked violently onto his back. The spymaster clutched his chassis and hissed in pain, visor looking up desperately up at his leader. What on Earth was wrong with Megatron? Megatron had never struck out at Soundwave before..._

_"I'll be sure to make this as... painful as possible." Soundwave's spark began racing and he shook like a leaf in a hurricane. Then the sword was brought down on Soundwave and-_

**_"Soundwave!"_**

The dark mech sat bolt upright and began frantically looking around him, servos running over his amour in search for his wounds; but there was none. Soundwave slumped in relief against his master's throne, venting heavily as he tried to calm himself down.

It had felt so real, sounded so real...

Suddenly there was a nudge against Soundwave's pede and the mech jumped visibly, pulling his legs as close to his trembling frame as he could. "Laserbeak?" he asked, looking down at the symboit who had retreated back at Soundwave's sudden movement away from her.

_'Nightmare' _floated over his mind, followed by the want for protection and to be accompanied with the sane Soundwave Laserbeak loved so very much. '_Safe.' _she said again, curling up besides her master, seeking his warmth and comfort.

"Nightmare..." Soundwave echoed his symboit, but his word was dripping in fear and a dreaded hopelessness. _'I'm sorry...'_ he cooed over their shared bond, as he carefully stroked Laserbeak along her back and wings, smiling for a few seconds as the avian shivered.

_'Hungry...'_

_'No.' _It was a little harsh for Soundwave to deny his companion fuel but he simply didn't have any to give and Soundwave feared that is Laserbeak fed off of Soundwave's energon he would collapse and not be able to regain his pedes.

**_"Soundwave!"_**

The spymaster jumped again, optics scanning the area frantically for the shadows of his nightmares. That hadn't been a dream; someone had actually called his name! But who? Then Soundwave noticed a small figure at the doorway of the Bridge, the yellow and black scout...

How odd, no one had ever come seeing Soundwave before or come to the Nemesis Bridge at all...

: Blast it! He's not here Ratchet, he must have-: it seemed someone, most likely the Autobot medic, interrupted the scout. : Maybe he moved- Okay I'll keep searching... How's Raf doing? : Then the mech turned and left the room.

Soundwave's optics widened and his spark sped up; a ping from Laserbeak told him she had seen it to. Leaping to his pedes, ignoring the agony form his weary limbs and aching joints, the spy master ran towards the scout and was slowing to stop and went to touch him but he went straight through Bumblebee and appeared at the every start of the Bridge.

Servo still held out to touch the ghost of Bumblebee, Soundwave began shaking in rage and despair. He was here! Why did they not see him!

The TIC's quick movements caught up with him and he fell to his knees, blanking out the _crack _that sounded form his knee. So close... Only a few more millimeters and he would've- .

'_What possibly could you have done?' _Soundwave covered his audios, begging the phantom Megatron's voice to go away. '_You're weak! A nothing only hear to serve as my-'_

**"****Desist**!" Soundwave cried, rocking back and forth on the ground. He wasn't a slave! Not anymore_. _"I thought I could trust you..."Soundwave whimpered, going still as he was forced into status by over worked systems.

_'You're just as foolish as that bastard piece of scrap Orion Pax...'_

With that Megatron's voice faded and instead Soundwave was plagued by voices of unknown origin; mocking him and tormenting him even when he cried for them to stop.

All Laserbeak could do was lay by her master's side and shivering fright._ '__How can humans be so cruel?'__  
_

* * *

_Please excuse the language, it won't happen again._


	4. Decisions

_I want to thank all the users who have reviewed, fav'd and followed my story; it means so much to me. ^-^ If you have any requests to what should happen during this fic in the future please say, I'd love to hear you ideas and thoughts. (: _

* * *

He was dreaming again, he had to be. It was weird, to Soundwave it felt like he was flying through the air but at a slow and relaxing pace, there was even the steady up and down currents from the wind that almost lulled him into his usual calm.

Then Soundwave's mind started to become clearer and he was becoming aware of constant bombardment from Laserbeak. At first all Soundwave felt was fear and the want to protect, but these weren't his own feelings.

"Laserbeak?" the spymaster's voice was hoarse and whispery, barely audible to himself let alone anyone else. His optics wouldn't online due to lack of power and Soundwave hardly managed to lift his servo to try and find his companion. Then something warm touched his chassis and all movements froze.

"She's fine."

Wait, that voice... It wasn't Laserbeak's and not a fragment of his mind and if it was whatever demons where haunting Soundwave really did have a terrible sense of humor. It almost sounded like... Like...

* * *

_A few hours before..._

Ratchet was pacing again. It was all the mech seemed to do when he spoke to Bumblebee via their COMM links, the medic's servos twitched and continuously moved for something to do.

His medic first-mech-second-nature had kicked in and it was very painful for him to stay where he was and let the other's search for Soundwave without him. Yeah he had utter faith in them but if Soundwave was dying and Ratchet got to him too late...

The mech shuddered at the sight he might be witnessed to.

"That's it!" Miko yelled, making the medic and Raf jump. "You have beaten me three times now! What is your secret?" the young girl demanded, throwing the PlayStation remote violently onto the sofa.

Jack laughed at her, leaning back comfortably in his seat, "Now why would I tell you that? You should see your reaction-" he probably would have gone on for ages but Ratchet startled both of the older teens.

"Will you two be quiet? I'm trying to think!" Ratchet barked, glaring at the two.

Miko crossed her arms and leant on one leg, "All you have been doing is thinking and pacing! Why don't you just open a bridge and get him out? It is how you freed us." She hissed, only allowing her threatening demeanor to fall when she saw the worried look on Raf's face.

"That doesn't work we have already-"

"No! Like what you did when we got trapped, you opened it in the same place of the one that sent us to the Shadowzone remember?" she said, raising an eyebrow as Ratchet seemed to freeze in thought.

"Why didn't I think of that before!" as soon as it was said the medic began typing up coordinates and opened a ground bridge. "COMM me if you are in trouble, I shall be back shortly." And thus the medic vanished into the spacebridge.

If he was going to get to Soundwave he first had to get to his fellows Autobot's on Cybertron.

* * *

Ratchet had met up with the other Autobots and told them his plan a while ago and now each of them was preparing for the unexpected or worst case scenarios.

Bumblebee and Magnus were with Ratchet as he activated the bridge so they could intervene if Soundwave was still up and functioning, the last thing they needed was the only medic on Cybertron to be wounded by an enemy.

Then Arcee, Smokescreen and Bulkhead were around the Nemesis keeping watch for anything suspicious or dangerous, the last thing thy needed was Soundwave slipping past the first group and getting out or to be attacked by some other rogue Decepticon.

Wheeljack, however, had refused to be part of anything to do with Soundwave. He was still furious at the mech for beating him on many occations and killing his friends during the war so he kept away. Much to Ratchet's relief, last thing he needed was Wheeljack attacking Soundwave at a moment of weakness, or the other way around.

_: Okay, I'm entering the coordinates now. :_ Came Ratchet's voice over the group's combined COMM channel, it was a little shaky but strong in that strict medic Ratchet kind of way.

A green swirling vortex came to life to the left of the consol and Ratchet vented heavily, preparing himself for what might happen once he stepped into the Shadowzone that held Soundwave prisoner.

Straightening up, the Autobot medic stepped through the portal and found himself feeling disorientated and confused. He had never been in the Shadowzone before and it was the most weirdest feeling he had ever felt, it was like the world had suddenly sped up and was spinning, everything was tinted an eerie purple and the objects not so close to him seemed to sway and move; that was until Ratchet focused on them.

The scene was so dizzying and mind boggling that Ratchet almost forgot why he was there.

Suddenly he heard movement and was startled when something shocked his pede with electricity. Instinctively moving backwards the medic prepared to fight whatever had attacked him, he looked down and saw Laserbeak snapping and hissing at him in that odd symboit language.

"What the-" the medic cut off his comment, this was odd because Laserbeak was never far from Soundwave unless she had to get help or something like that. SO why was she here and not with Soundwave?

Looking around with narrowed optics, Ratchet found his target and slowly approached him.

Soundwave was lying on his side, trembling rather violently from the tremors that racked his frame. Ratchet didn't know what was going through Soundwave's head, if he was even conscious was a mystery, and he kneeled by the spymaster and waved his hand in front of Soundwave's visor.

Nothing.

The Spymaster's bio lights were pulsing erratically signaling his distressed state of mind. "Soundwave?" Ratchet asked, lightly touching the mech's long flat arm. There was no verbal response but the purple mech did flinch away.

"I hope I'm not too late." Ratchet mumbled to himself, looking down at Laserbeak who had been sat on Soundwave's side glaring at him ever since Ratchet had touched her master. Oddly enough though, she hadn't done anything to hurt Ratchet or scare him off. _Maybe she knows I a trying to help?_ He thought to himself, frowning at the avian.

**_:_**_ Magnus I'm coming back through._**_ : _**Ratchet COMMed his fellow Autobot, but all he got was a 'loss of signal' error message and static. He had almost forgotten you got no signal in the Shadowzone, it was lucky Soundwave hadn't been ready to kill Ratchet on sight.

Scooping up the Spymaster, Ratchet supported him in both servos and began making his way back to the spacebridge. Laserbeak made sure she hissed and snarled at Ratchet to let him know how she disapproved, but other than that the femme was still.

* * *

...Ratchet?

How was Soundwave hearing Ratchet?

Then the mech realized he wasn't hallucinating, the Autobot medic was really carrying him.

That was either really good or really bad...

* * *

_Thank Primus, Soundwave is finally free! Or is he?_


	5. Grief

_I feel terrible for not updating sooner, but school has been really tough on me._

* * *

Raf was nervously sat beside his laptop waiting for Ratchet's command to open the Space Bridge once again, but it hadn't come yet. In fact, Raf didn't even know if he wanted to see Ratchet again, _with_ Soundwave or not. If the medic came back alone it meant Soundwave was lost or deceased, but if he came back with him Gods knew what state Soundwave would be in.

_It's all my fault_. he thought sadly, pushing his glasses nervously back up his nose. _But if I hadn't of intervened..._ the teen sighed heavily, he had done what he had to at the time for his team's safety. Soundwave had been put out of the way and the Nemesis had been successfully taken over, even Megatron and the other Decepticons had been disposed of.

After that epic victory everyone forgot about Soundwave, the kids had gone back to school and the Autobots left for Cybertron; except Ratchet. It had never occurred to Raf that being alone in a muddled dimension was dangerous, if he knew the brunette never would have wished it on Soundwave. The mech had spared them so many times and how was he paid back? By being locked up in a dimension almost unreachable.

Raf unconsciously opened up his pictures and began flicking through them, they were of all the transformers he had ever seen here and there; most from the ones he took off of the internet.

Suddenly the monitors booted to life and Ratchet's exhausted voice echoed through the bitter silence.

**.:Raf open the bridge, and please hurry.:.**

Leaping up, the young boy pressed a button on his keyboard and the Space Bride opened, alerting Miko and Jack that something was up. All three of them raced to the highest platform and waited anxiously for what they might see; Raf could hardly look...

* * *

___Short and sweet,or bitter. The next will be much longer, I promise and it will be updated sooner._**  
**


	6. Not so Alone

_Longer and updated sooner, consider it an apology for updating late previously._

* * *

**WARNING:** Energon levels; 39%. Self-repair; 99%

**ERROR:** Telepathic link via. Laserbeak failed.

**WARNING**: current location; ERROR

**WARNING**: AUTOBOTS IN AREA

**WARNING**: HUMAN LIFE DETECTED

**WARNING**: VIRUS FOUND

**WARNING**: FUNCTION ERROR

He hurt.

The pain was almost too much, but it was good. The pain told him he was alive and that was good. In the Pits, before Soundwave had met Megatron, pain was the only company you had but it was what kept you alert and aware.

Soundwave tried to move, to reach for something... Anything. Laserbeak wasn't responding to any of his requests and the Spy Master was beginning to think his beloved symboit, his friend, was gone.

Sparking aching, the spy master began to try to pull his legs closer so he might get up, but it felt like he was pinned down on his back by some unseen monster.

"L-laserbeak?" his voice was hoarse and weak, hardly a whisper located in a hurricane. "Laserbeak." it was stronger this time, but Soundwave still couldn't sense his avian, boot up his visor or even move.

Maybe she had left him? He was weak and pathetic, and now he was pitifully alone.

* * *

Getting the former TIC back to base had been easy, in fact the only obstacle had been getting Wheeljack to not shoot the mech from where he had been laying limp in Ratchet's arms. Other than that it had been enter the shadowzone, get Soundwave and leave again.

After saying farewell to his fellow Autobots Ratchet had gone back through the groundbridge where Miko, Raf and Jack were anxiously waiting. All of them had breathed a sigh of relief after seeing Soundwave in once piece; at least he was on the outside.

Ratchet feared the long term mental side effects Soundwave would suffer from, he hadn't treated a mad patient in a long time and his speed and agility was all but gone; so if Soundwave mistook Ratchet for a hallucination and struck out the medic would be in trouble.

Ratchet had been busy going through the files on the main computer when a faint sound reached his audios, it sounded a bit like 'Laserbeak_'_.

Freezing, the medic listened very carefully. He hadn't heard that voice since Soundwave had been captured by them, but this time it sounded weakened and rough.

"Laserbeak?" springing to action, the medic grabbed his first aid kit and made his way slowly over to the downed 'con; weary optics ready to spot any danger to him or the children.

* * *

Suddenly the world began to light up again and Soundwave couldn't help but hold his intakes, he was awfully worried that if he moved the demons would come rushing to torment him. Yet the mech couldn't help but notice something was different about the Shadowzone; the world was no longer tinted purple and things were still. That was until Soundwave turned his helm.

A wave of nausea washed over the mech and he froze, shuddering. If he had energon in his fuel tanks the mech was sure he would have purged it there and then, visor attached.

_"Soundwave?"_

A voice rung out through the air and the mech froze, no... No! He had tried so hard to keep his processor clear, but it was too late; his tormentors were back. Attempting to roll onto his side, the mech wanted to curl up and never uncurl but he couldn't. Fuel tank skipping a pump, Soundwave found himself pinned down on his back by some kind of cuffs.

Hissing, the mech pulled at them with his long, thin arms. This was odd, sickeningly strange. If he really was going mad then he didn't want to be pinned and mad so he was unable to move away from the voices.

"_Soundwave... hold still... you're still hurt._" Soundwave could see him as clear as day, the Autobot medic Ratchet.

Soundwave had never really fought the mech and the last time the two met the red and white Autobot had threatened to cut him up! Knowing he could feel pain from hallucinations didn't help either, so the mech began to struggle; pulling and scratching at the cuffs in a wild attempt to escape.

But he was just too weak to break them...

* * *

_Small cliffhanger for y'all. Oh and thankyou for all the reviews, I am eternally grateful! ^-^_


	7. Sleepless Nights

It was 03:37 am and Raf felt his eye lids getting heavier and heavier, but no matter what he tired he just couldn't get to sleep. After seeing Ratchet rush about the hanger to make sure Soundwave didn't die in the night had been terrifying... and Raf felt so very guilty. It was a relief that Soundwave hadn't gotten harmed otherwise he would have died by now, at least of energon loss; no one knew what the internal damage would be like and Ratchet feared using a Cortical Physic Patch incase Soundwave used his telepathy to attack or the madness spread. Raf sighed heavily, reaching over to his desk to retrieve his glasses, there would be no point trying to fall asleep. Also he had no school for four weeks either, it was the summer break after all.

Swinging his legs over the side of the bed, Raf soundlessly began to creep around his room and collect all of his clothes and put them on. His mother was away for a while and only his brother was left to look out for him, but he slept all day and hosted parties all night. Who wouldn't when their mother was away?

Once Raf was prepared, he left a note for his brother and carefully climbed down the stairs before sneaking out of the door. Since the whole situation where the Decepticons found out where Raf lived, his family had been moved much closer to the Autobot base so it would be easier for their allies to reach them incase they were found again. So it only took about 30 minutes to reach the base on bike; giving Raf plenty of time to think over what happened the night before.

* * *

After Soundwave had stopped struggling he had just stared at Ratchet for longer than anyone dared consider, he only stopped when the medic got uncomfortable and walked over to check the monitors. That was when Soundwave had shuddered and gone limp on the medical berth, Ratchet had been amazed that he had stayed awake as long as he had and was concerned that the mech's experience would cause serve mental damage.

As always he had been right.

Just as Raf had been leaving for home, the spymaster had began to shake and shiver, small sounds of fear and discomfort hardly audio to the medic and he was stood beside him. Raf only found out because Ratchet had told him via text once he was home, not the medic's wisest of decisions.

What Raf didn't know was that nothing the medic did could stop Soundwave's fear or outcast the dark visions; the only kind solution would have been to kill the spymaster, but that wasn't an option. Ratchet saved his patients, not kill them. In the end Soundwave had startled himself out of recharge and had began to struggle and hiss for a good ten minutes, Ratchet had tried his best but it was Laserbeak that got the purple mech to lessen his struggles but not the whimpers and cries of fear.

It was spark breaking to say the least, that a mech as feared and powerful as Soundwave could be reduced to a whimpering mess in just under two years. The worst part was Ratchet was deeply concerned and, even though he wasn't much of a fan of Soundwave, was going to attempt anything to get the mech back to normal; if there was a way...

* * *

It was dark when Raf entered the base and he feared something might have happened, then the sound of grumbling and muttering reached the human's ears and he breathed a sigh of relief.

"You should be at home Raf." Ratchet grumbled quietly, 'tip-toeing' over to the young boy and picking him up form the ground. The only light in the room were the ones beaming from the main computer, the medical equitement and Soundwave's bio lights, the young teen figured the Decepticon must have finally fallen into recharge again; a more peaceful one.

"I-I couldn't sleep, not when I know I caused-" the teen looked back over to Soundwave and sighed, "I didn't mean to hurt him Ratchet, I only thought he would be kept out of the way for a while... Then we forgot to tell you and, well." Raf sniffed, pulling his knees to his chest, "I feel awful."

Ratchet looked down at the boy with concern, if this was stopping Raf from sleeping then ti would only get worse and Ratchet feared the young boy would go mad too. Something he couldn't cope with. "Do not blame yourself Raf, you did what you thoguht was best and because of that we were able to take over the Nemesis and save out home." he cooed, "We are all very grateful to you for accomplishing such a thing."

Raf looked up with hope in his eyes, "R-really?" he asked, Ratchet nodded and Raf smiled. Ruining one life for the rest of the species was worth it to some, but why couldn't Raf be happy for them? Soundwave was a murderer and a traitor to the species, yet he had spared the three so many times and showed great compastion for his cause and goals.

Sighing again, Raf looked Ratchet right in the optics, "Ratchet, can I, perhaps, stay here tonight?" he asked, pushing his glasses back up his nose.

"What about your family? Will they not worry for you?"

"I worte them a note saying I was staying 'round a friends, which you are..."

Ratchet considered it and nodded, it would be handy to have another person here to talk to as he observed the Spy Master and probably better for Raf. That was if Soundwave didn't have any more violent visions.

* * *

_Oh look at that; I updated, s__orry for the late update peeps._ My life is so crowded. 3 Thanks for all of the reviews, your support is really keeping me going! ^-^


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